Lesson 5 — Activity 3: Indigenous Peoples Collective Identity
Completion requirements
Lesson 5 — Activity 3: Indigenous Peoples Collective Identity
Warm Up
In this theme, you learned that collective identity is the shared sense of belonging to a group. You also learned that nationalism is an internal feeling shared by a group. It is part of the identity of a nation.
In the previous activities, you looked at how nationalism has affected Indigenous peoples' movements towards self-government and how Canadian nationalism is evoked by symbols associated with Indigenous people.
Remember as well that the past experiences of a nation can affect nationalism and the culture of a people can affect expressions of nationalism.
In this activity, you will learn some of the ways that Indigenous peoples express their own particular collective identity.
How Stories Shape a Sense of Nation
Shared stories, ideas, and beliefs help create a sense of nation. These myths can include ancient traditional stories and beliefs about what makes a nation special. These stories often reach back into unrecorded history and are passed on orally through generations. They connect people with their past. They can also shape the way people look at the world.
Think about the stories you have been told in your family, perhaps at family gatherings or other special family events. How do these stories connect you with your family’s past and shape your family’s shared view of the world?
Storytelling is part of the long-standing oral tradition of Aboriginal communities. Not only does this technique pass on knowledge from old to young, it ensures knowledge is accurate because of frequent repetition. It is a form of lifelong learning for members of a community and is still practised by Indigenous peoples.
Storytelling often takes place in homes. Some traditional storytelling happens at social gatherings. For both storytellers and listeners, the stories are instructive and entertaining. Historical knowledge is passed on. Bravery, honesty, loyalty, respect for the environment, and other values are illustrated by events in the stories and are indirectly passed on. Knowledge about the origin of sacred ceremonies is also passed on in this fashion. Children pick up details about their history and culture and strengthen their language skills through listening and repeating.
(Adapted from K&E Studio.)
Oral tradition provides cultural continuity through the sharing of stories, songs, history, personal experiences, and social commentary.
Symbols and Their Meanings
Indigenous people from many different nations have adopted ancestral symbols that represent ideas, beliefs, or dreams. Very often symbols represent figures in nature, such as important animals or birds, like the buffalo and the eagle. Sometimes the symbols represent the spirit world and spiritual helpers, like the Thunderbird.
Some symbols identify nations or clans, while others depict celestial bodies, such as the sun, the moon, and the stars. These last symbols are often seen on tepees and clothing or are carved into jewellery.
Some symbols are thousands of years old, and their meanings have been lost. The petroglyphs at Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park in southern Alberta are an example of this.
Some Indigenous people who believe in the traditional ways wear symbols that give them strength or identity.
The eagle is a symbol of truth, power, and freedom. The bear symbolizes strength, endurance, intelligence, and loyalty. The buffalo symbolizes subsistence, strength, and the ability to survive. The rock symbolizes strength and endurance, and it holds the spirits of the ancestors.
